Seeing this a few days late, it's now pretty clear KC will make the playoffs, and the division is still up for grabs, which is crazy and amazing and wonderful, as you know. What a fun season.
Regarding the Guardians, I think we're seeing once again just how important relief pitching is in the modern game, and that we haven't fully integrated that fact in our evaluation of teams. You're right, they're not that impressive in terms of their offensive output or their starting rotation, but having an elite set of high-leverage relievers makes up for those weaknesses, much like it did for KC in 2014 and 2015. The fact that KC is where they are, in spite of their bullpen issues, makes their record this season even more remarkable.
You're right, it's been a fun and unexpected season, and I think your read on the playoffs and division is correct too, though I'm the type who is never fully comfortable until the thing is clinched.
Royals fans should know better than anyone what a difference a great bullpen can make, and their struggles this season in that department only illustrate how putting one together is easier said than done. Your assessment of Cleveland is spot-on. After reading it and thinking about it a minute, I suspect the 24 Guardians are a lot more like the 14-15 Royals than I realized. I still think those Royals had a few more players who were recognizable outside our fanbase- we made sure everyone was introduced to them with our 15 ASG votes- but I could be looking through my blue and white glasses on that. Either way, their pen makes Cleveland scary in the postseason. That said, if we can't catch them in the division, I'd love for it to work itself out where we play them in the WC round. I don't think it will happen, but I think we match up well with them.
Seeing this a few days late, it's now pretty clear KC will make the playoffs, and the division is still up for grabs, which is crazy and amazing and wonderful, as you know. What a fun season.
Regarding the Guardians, I think we're seeing once again just how important relief pitching is in the modern game, and that we haven't fully integrated that fact in our evaluation of teams. You're right, they're not that impressive in terms of their offensive output or their starting rotation, but having an elite set of high-leverage relievers makes up for those weaknesses, much like it did for KC in 2014 and 2015. The fact that KC is where they are, in spite of their bullpen issues, makes their record this season even more remarkable.
You're right, it's been a fun and unexpected season, and I think your read on the playoffs and division is correct too, though I'm the type who is never fully comfortable until the thing is clinched.
Royals fans should know better than anyone what a difference a great bullpen can make, and their struggles this season in that department only illustrate how putting one together is easier said than done. Your assessment of Cleveland is spot-on. After reading it and thinking about it a minute, I suspect the 24 Guardians are a lot more like the 14-15 Royals than I realized. I still think those Royals had a few more players who were recognizable outside our fanbase- we made sure everyone was introduced to them with our 15 ASG votes- but I could be looking through my blue and white glasses on that. Either way, their pen makes Cleveland scary in the postseason. That said, if we can't catch them in the division, I'd love for it to work itself out where we play them in the WC round. I don't think it will happen, but I think we match up well with them.
Here's praying that the Royals hold on these last 3 weeks! 🙏🙏🙏 Thanks Patrick.